Tuesday, 14 April 2015

The Interview: Ayaan Hirsi Ali on reforming Islam

In her new book, Ayaan Hirsi Ali argues the rise of Islamist extremism presents moderate Muslims with an opportunity for reform

They call her "controversial". But she shouldn't be. Not for what she says: of which she knows well, having been brought up a Muslim, having undergone FGM, been married off at the age of a minor, and having seen through all this to a fine and thoughtful critique of the tenets of Islam (The Trinity of Islam).
She comes up with five reforms that Islam needs to go through to be able to live in 21st century society. They're logical, though tough. Especially the non-literal reading of the Koran, for that's blasphemy to the majority of Muslims, even the "Mecca Muslims" she identifies as the most "moderate", or even "dissident".
It's an interesting interview with Maclean's magazine in Canada, a magazine that's not been scared to scrutinise Islam.

"...it is the duty of those who have accepted Islam to strive unceasingly to convert or subjugate those who have not. This obligation is without limit of time or space. It must continue until the whole world has either accepted the Islamic faith or submitted to the power of the Islamic state."

-- Bernard Lewis, renowned historian of Islam and the Middle East, in The Political Language of Islam, p72-3.

In other words:

"Islam is unique among religions of the world in having a developed doctrine, theology and legal system that mandates warfare against unbelievers."